Long distance "nutrition"

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CathOh
CathOh Posts: 72 Member
Does anyone know how much "nutrition" (carbs and calories) we should be ingesting (per pound of body weight) throughout an endurance-type event? Perhaps also the frequency in which you ingest these things? What works for you?

I had a really amazing calculation that I did last year leading up to a half iron duathlon, and it worked really well for me to set up how many gels/ chomps/ gatorade etc I would need throughout my event. Of course I have no idea what I have done with that information now. Thanks for your help.
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  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
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    It depends on the event. You can consume / digest a lot more fuel when you are riding than when you are running. General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes. But if you are running slower you may find you can consume more, and everyone is different.
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes.

    is this a typo? I'm assuming you mean 1000kcals per 45 minutes, otherwise you must be immortal with a metabolism this slow.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes.

    is this a typo? I'm assuming you mean 1000kcals per 45 minutes, otherwise you must be immortal with a metabolism this slow.

    I assume this is to "top off" your existing fuel stores, and yes, it does make perfect sense.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes.

    is this a typo? I'm assuming you mean 1000kcals per 45 minutes, otherwise you must be immortal with a metabolism this slow.

    No, that's not a typo. That's about right. You may be burning 1000kcals per hour while racing, but you don't replace every one of them during the race. You are fueled by glycogen and fat stores. The added fuel is to replenish, not replace.
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
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    1000 calories? Does this mean I can down a six-pack of double IPAs every 10K? I've been cheating myself this whole time.
  • DavidMartinez2
    DavidMartinez2 Posts: 840 Member
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    I normally take 2 Hammer Gel packets during a marathon; one at about mile 9 and anohter ~17.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    1000 calories? Does this mean I can down a six-pack of double IPAs every 10K? I've been cheating myself this whole time.

    Imagine: aid stations, brought to you by Wendy's :laugh:
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
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    General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes.

    is this a typo? I'm assuming you mean 1000kcals per 45 minutes, otherwise you must be immortal with a metabolism this slow.

    This would be the equivalent of consuming 10 gels every 45 minutes. Not even sure how you could carry that many, let alone digest them!

    The 100 calories is based on your body's ability to metabolize the fuel while running. Much more than that while running at marathon pace, and you will start filling up, and eventually it's going to come back up the way it went down. You can metabolize much faster on a bike, which is why triathletes take the opportunity to fuel up on this leg.
  • HappyRunner34
    HappyRunner34 Posts: 394 Member
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    Everyone is indeed different. I just ran a Half and experimented by sucking down a gel every 5 k (5, 10 and 15K marks) - the last one with caffeine. Worked really well for me, but I have friends who's stomachs don't tolerate gels well so they eat other stuff like banana's wrapped in cinnamon in a tortilla!!! (I know right?) So experiment!!!
    The one thing I know is that as your body works more, there is less blood to help with digestion so some foods that you may tolerate well standing still, you may not when in mile 10+. I am training for my first full marathon in 10 years - coming on June 1st...so now Im just playing with different fuelling options to see what works best for me! Good luck!
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    General rule of thumb for running is 100 calories per 45 minutes.

    is this a typo? I'm assuming you mean 1000kcals per 45 minutes, otherwise you must be immortal with a metabolism this slow.

    This would be the equivalent of consuming 10 gels every 45 minutes. Not even sure how you could carry that many, let alone digest them!

    The 100 calories is based on your body's ability to metabolize the fuel while running. Much more than that while running at marathon pace, and you will start filling up, and eventually it's going to come back up the way it went down. You can metabolize much faster on a bike, which is why triathletes take the opportunity to fuel up on this leg.

    Gotta think outside the box

    Free-shipping-Outdoor-font-b-hiking-b-font-font-b-vest-b-font-multi-pocket-waistcoat.jpg

    and

    2080133-p-LARGE_SEARCH.jpg
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    "mental need" is another factor. Many people feel like they need cals far more often than they actually do. Training your mind is just as important as training your body.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    "mental need" is another factor. Many people feel like they need cals far more often than they actually do. Training your mind is just as important as training your body.

    QFT
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    Oh, sorry got complete wrong end of the stick, i thought you meant you expend 100kcals per 45 minutes, not you need to take in a gel every 45 minutes! Whoops!
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Oh, sorry got complete wrong end of the stick, i thought you meant you expend 100kcals per 45 minutes, not you need to take in a gel every 45 minutes! Whoops!

    I was gonna say dude, you've been around this rodeo long enough to know that! :laugh:
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    This would be the equivalent of consuming 10 gels every 45 minutes. Not even sure how you could carry that many, let alone digest them!

    If I took all of the ammunition out of my bergen I could manage that. I'm sure I'm supposed to carry that though :)
  • TheBrolympus
    TheBrolympus Posts: 586 Member
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    "mental need" is another factor. Many people feel like they need cals far more often than they actually do. Training your mind is just as important as training your body.

    ^^^ I was in the "mental need" boat until I started to ween myself off the GUs. I never use them why training anymore (running or cycling) and use them very sparingly on my races.

    I was like crackhead with those GUs.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    Does anyone know how much "nutrition" (carbs and calories) we should be ingesting (per pound of body weight) throughout an endurance-type event? Perhaps also the frequency in which you ingest these things? What works for you?

    I had a really amazing calculation that I did last year leading up to a half iron duathlon, and it worked really well for me to set up how many gels/ chomps/ gatorade etc I would need throughout my event. Of course I have no idea what I have done with that information now. Thanks for your help.

    Lots of the authors (Noakes, Fitzgerald, Owens, et al) cite 60 gm/hr of CHO with a maximum figure of 90 gm/hr that we can ingest.

    How much fat vs carbs we burn varies by many factors including the individual, by level of effort, and it also varies over the duration of the activity.

    These are links to Google docs worksheets that I use:

    This is my schedule and pre-race food:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtCsYuXopoFadEtwMGNfcElmQVFWUWRqb1pKOVpJaHc&usp=drive_web#gid=0

    This is how I estimated my CHO consumption:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtCsYuXopoFadFEwWGVrMEgzS05OSFlLR3JGR3FZNkE&usp=drive_web#gid=0

    The CHO % values for the latter are based on data from FirstBeat Athlete (http://www.firstbeat.com/consumers/firstbeat-athlete)

    HTH.
  • plateaued
    plateaued Posts: 199 Member
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    During a half, I will eat jelly beans during the race. Probably all wrong, but I like 'em.
  • zerryz
    zerryz Posts: 168 Member
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    Does anyone know how much "nutrition" (carbs and calories) we should be ingesting (per pound of body weight) throughout an endurance-type event? Perhaps also the frequency in which you ingest these things? What works for you?

    I had a really amazing calculation that I did last year leading up to a half iron duathlon, and it worked really well for me to set up how many gels/ chomps/ gatorade etc I would need throughout my event. Of course I have no idea what I have done with that information now. Thanks for your help.


    Curious to read the response of those marathon runners who are keto-adapted, if you have a nutrition plan you don t mind sharing. Also, have u experienced superstarch foods? http://www.generationucan.com/super.html
  • CathOh
    CathOh Posts: 72 Member
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    Thanks everyone. ATT949, I'll check out those links at home tonight as I'm not able to open them at work. But it sounds like this is pretty much what I might have been hoping for.